Sisterly Love
by LadySybil-AlaisBranson
Summary: Despite finding her happy ending, Cinderella's past comes back to haunt her. Seeking the truth, she sets out on a perilous journey; one that will change her life, and the lives of those around her, forever. Will truth, love, courage, and kindness be enough to save everyone or destroy them? One mysterious, extraordinary being holds the answers to it all.
1. Chapter 1: PROLOGUE

Queen Iphigenia was one of the gentlest, kindest, and strongest rulers the small kingdom of southern France had ever known. She always put others before herself, no matter the cost. That was why the people loved her so. Her young son, Prince Adrien, took after her and did all he could to please his mother and his subjects.

Unfortunately the prince's father, King Etienne, had his own ideas on how to rule and raise a family. You see, Etienne was the polar opposite of Iphigenia. He was cruel, selfish, and unkind, and no one could change him for the better. Iphigenia herself had tried and failed to temper him. Meanwhile, the people not so secretly despised and feared him, so they looked to the queen and young prince for counsel.

Overtime, the king grew jealous of this, and would often fly into a rage. One day, that cost the kingdom everything. The king was feeling particularly angry, and decided to take it out on his wife. However, she happened to be pregnant with their second child, and his abuse forced her into labor nearly a month too early. Prince Adrien and the rest of the household tried desperately to save her and the child, but the pain was too great for the queen.

With one last farewell, Iphigenia drew her last breath. The newborn, a beautiful, healthy, golden haired princess, was taken away to be cared for. Adrien, on the other hand, never did get a chance to properly grieve for his mother. His father dragged him away and took it upon himself to begin molding his innocent son into an even more ruthless ruler than his father before him. As for the princess, when the king had learned of her existence, he flew into yet another rage. He did not want a daughter, for he felt that women were practically useless, and could not inherit the throne. So, he ordered a servant to dispose of the poor infant.

Utterly horrified, the servant, Beatrice Potts, ran off with the child. Instead of doing what the king instructed, she came upon a lonely noble family, and pleaded with them to hide the child and raise her as their own. They heartily agreed, and thus the princess, now named Cinderella, lived a happy life, never wanting for anything.

Meanwhile, as the years past and the princess grew, so did the prince. Only he was now angry, selfish, and cold hearted. That is why very soon, his fate would be sealed. One dark night, on the new king's sixteenth birthday, an unexpected visitor came to the palace. seeking shelter from the storm. She gave the king a beautiful red rose as a token of appreciation, but he turned her away and sneered at her ugliness.

Disheartened, the poor woman revealed herself as a beautiful enchantress. Adrien desperately tried to atone for his cruel behavior, but the enchantress felt he had to be taught a lesson. As punishment, she transformed him into a vicious beast, and placed a curse on the castle and all the unsuspecting servants.


	2. Chapter 2

As Cinderella and the Grand Duke made their way through the palace to elegant reception room, he explained to the young woman the proper way to greet the prince and his father; curtsy, extend hand, keep eyes down, speak elegantly. Cinderella mentally ran through it all, just hoping she would do the right thing. When they finally reached the entrance, the Grand Duke turned to her and commanded, " Wait here, if you please, mademoiselle. I must first announce you to their highnesses." He then disappeared behind the door.

Alone at last, Cinderella took a deep breath. She was indeed quite elated, and worried, all at once. To think she was here to marry a prince! That is, if he did not toss her aside once it was revealed who she truly was. After all, princes do not usually marry for love, and they most certainly do not marry lowly housemaids. True, she was born the daughter of a low-ranking baron, but Cinderella had not known that luxurious since she was eleven years old.

Just then, her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the Grand Duke calling for her. The great doors opened, and she tentatively entered the room. The Grand Duke rushed to her side and took her arm, leading her to the far back of the room, where the king sat atop his simple throne. The prince stood tall beside his father, and Cinderella's breath caught in her throat at the sight of him. He was even more handsome than she remembered, and his eyes shone brightly with such kindness and love.

Awakening from her trance, Cinderella did as the Grand Duke had instructed. The prince at last spoke. " There is no need for such formalities, my lady." He approached her and, taking the young woman's hands in his, he continued, " Now will you tell me your name? And please do not vanish this time." Cinderella could not help but give a little giggle, knowing he was simply teasing. " My name is Cinderella." The young man blissfully sighed. " Cinderella… beautiful. I am Henri."

" Ahem!" The king interrupted from behind. Turning around, Henri apologized. " Come here, my dear, and let me get a good look at you." The king motioned to Cinderella. She obediently stepped up onto the threshold. " Tell us, my dear, who are you? Of what family do you come from?" " Your Majesty, I am the stepdaughter of Lady Clarisse Tremaine, and the daughter of Baron and Baroness Francis and Marie Tremaine."

" Really?" The king said with surprise. " Then may I ask how you came to be a servant?" Cinderella lowered her head in shame. " My stepmother and sister Drizella never liked me, though I did everything they ever asked of me and treated them with nothing but kindness. When my dear father died, shortly after marrying Lady Clarisse, she forced me into servitude." " I see. " The elderly man said thoughtfully. " Of what age were you when this happened?" " Ten, Your Majesty." Cinderella replied. " What treachery!" He roared. " Do not worry, young lady. Those harpies will be punished accordingly. But wait; does not Tremaine have two daughters? You only mentioned one."

Cinderella smiled. " Indeed. My other sister, Anastasia, had no part in any of this. She is the most generous, beautiful person I know. If not for her love and kindness, I likely would not have survived all these years. As for your desire for justice, Your Majesty, that is not necessary. Begging your pardon, but inflicting pain and suffering on others simply because they did so to you… well, it makes you no better than them. Nothing good can come from it." To her surprise, instead of becoming angry, the king smiled. " My dear, it seems you are right. I am overjoyed to see that my son has chosen a woman such as you. A ruler with a pure, kind, strong heart and unparalleled wisdom is truly what this kingdom needs. Cinderella blushed at his praise. "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Henri then decided to cut in. "Cinderella, Father, if I may?" They both nodded for him to continue. Once again taking the young woman's hands, Henri knelt down on one knee. " Cinderella, we may not have known each other very long, but ever since that magical night at the ball, I knew you were the one for me. Meeting you properly now and seeing just how wonderful you truly are makes me even more sure of anything in my life. I am falling desperately in love with you, and therefore I wish for us to spend the rest of our lives together; never to part again. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife and princess?" Retrieving a gorgeous sapphire ring from his pocket, Henri waited for a response.

Momentarily stunned, Cinderella cried, " Yes! I would be truly honored." Overjoyed, the newly betrothed couple embraced and kissed. However, that tender moment was almost immediately interrupted Henri's father. " It cannot be! Ahem! Cinderella!" They broke away and faced him, looking utterly perplexed. " Yes, Your Majesty? Is something the matter?" With his face as white as a sheet, he pointed to wrist, which was draped over Henri's shoulder, exposed. " That-that mark… I have seen it once before. Duke, come here! Please examine her hand." The Grand Duke did as he was told, and his eyes widened in shock. " Impossible. It is the same birthmark as- as-" " As her's." The king finished, his voice filled with sadness.

Exasperated, the prince cried, " Father, enough! What are you on about?" His father sighed. " There is no easy way of saying this. Granted, we must find out more to be certain, but I believe your beloved fiancé is neither servant nor baron's daughter. She is the second child and only daughter of Queen Iphigenia and King Etienne." " What?!" Henri and Cinderella exclaimed at once. " Sire, forgive me, but you must be mistaken."

The old man shook his head. "No, my dear. This birthmark says otherwise. You see, long ago, Queen Iphigenia of the southern region died giving birth to her second child. Sadly, her tyrant of a husband sent the child away to die in the woods. So it appears that Lord Tremaine somehow found you and took pity on you. You are quite lucky, my dear." " Father, if this is indeed true, then what became of the king and his first child? In all my years, I have never heard of them. It is as if they do not exist." Henri pointed out. " Ah. Well you see, the king died some years later, and his son disappeared without a trace not long after, as did the entire household, it seems. To be frank, no one seemed to care at all that they were gone. Overtime, the memory of them has simply faded."


	3. Chapter 3

Lady Tremaine and her daughters stood anxiously before His Majesty the king, awaiting judgment. " Baroness Tremaine, it has come to my attention that you and your horrid daughter Drisella have subjected my future daughter-in-law to a life of misery and servitude. In accordance with the law, I ought to punish you as befitting such crimes, particularly due to Cinderella's true identity." Drisella and her mother winced, knowing they were in for it.

" However," The king continued, " Cinderella has insisted you be released, and may live your miserable lives in peace. Though I suspect you will be tormented by your guilt forever. As for you my dear," he said in a gentler tone, turning to face Anastasia. " It is your sister's wish that you reside here in the palace, and serve as her most trusted lady-in-waiting and confidante. Naturally, this position entitles you to great status and wealth, and you may marry whomever you choose when the time comes." Taking a deep bow, Anastasia smiles brightly. " Thank you, Your Majesty. You are most generous."

Giving a small nod, the king turns back to Lady Tremaine. " Now, before you are dismissed, there is one very important question I must ask; did you or did you not know of Cinderella's birthright as the princess of the southern region?" Eyes wide with surprise and fear, Lady Clarisse hesitates. " Y-yes… I did, Your Majesty." The king frowned. " As I suspected. How did you come by such information?" The woman trembled. " My late husband, Lord Tremaine, told me the truth of her past on his deathbed. He wished for me to tell her when she came of age, and restore her to her rightful place." " Then you should have abided by his wish!" The king thundered. " Do please enlighten me as to why you treated her so? Choose your words wisely."

Head hanging in shame, the dreadful woman began to explain. " I heard of what had supposedly been the child's fate, and I did not wish to believe she was indeed alive and standing before me. However, I took one look at the birthmark she bore, and I knew my husband spoke the truth. Unfortunately, as I am certain you are aware Your Majesty, King Etienne and Prince Adrien were still alive at the time. So naturally I feared what would become of my family should anyone learn of the princess's existence.

I then decided to hide her away, but my heart was also full of jealousy and anger over her beauty, grace, and fortune, and as such I did not wish to be saddled with such a child. After all, I thought of only my daughters and their interests for the future. Now, I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness, and that of the future princess. You may not trust me, nor believe my words, but I sincerely regret all that I have done, and promise to atone for my actions from here on out. Cinderella may not have received from me or Drisella the love she deserved, but it truly puts my heart at ease to know that she has found it in Anastasia, as well Your Majesty and His Highness the prince."

 **FOUR MONTHS LATER**

On the outside, Cinderella and Henri were happier than ever. They had finally married, and were now returning home from their honeymoon. However, Cinderella still felt a twinge of emptiness and dread deep down inside her, and she could not shake it. After all, she knew very little of what it means to be a princess, and did not think for a minute that she was qualified to rule a kingdom, let alone two. That is precisely why she was determined not only to learn from the tutor assigned to her, but also to go back and find out just what happened to her birth family and rightful subjects.

Cinderella then decided to voice her concern to her husband. " Henri…" She began as the royal carriage jostled along the road, " I am aware of our responsibilities to this kingdom, but I would very much like to travel to the southern kingdom. I need to find the full truth for myself, and see who I am. I want to be worthy of the title of princess, and refuse to let anyone down. However, I fear I cannot do that unless I know of my past." Henri smiled. " Oh Ella… you do not need to find who you are. I already know you, and there is no doubt in my mind or heart that you will be the most beloved ruler this kingdom, or any other, has ever known. On the other hand, if you still do not believe me, then I will wholeheartedly support your decision to go on such a quest. My love for you is strong and true, and due to that, I will stand by you forever. After all, that is what I vowed on our wedding day, was it not?"


	4. Chapter 4

Cinderella, Henri, and Anastasia cautiously made their way through the dark forest, desperately searching for the long forgotten castle. Anastasia could not help but shiver. She had a strong sense that something terrible was about to happen. " How much farther, Your Highness?" She wondered. " The castle should be just beyond that hill over there." Henri reassured her, pointing at a place to the east of them. " And Ana, how many times must I insist you address me as Henri? We are family, after all." Anastasia blushed. "Yes, Henri."

Just then, a wolf's howl echoed around them, and the trio's horses reared up in fear. Cinderella was thrown backwards, and she rolled on the ground, wincing in pain. Screaming his wife's name, Henri managed to calm the horses down, thus rushing to her side. " Are you alright?" " My arm seems to be broken." Cinderella groaned. Frowning with worry, Henri gently pulled her up to a standing position. " Right. We ought to turn back. You need a physician now."

"NO!" Cinderella insisted. " You know how long it took us to come this far. I must finish what I started. Besides, there is a simple solution; I'll just create a sling, and then we'll be on our way. I'll be fine; there is no need to worry. If there does happen to be someone still living at the castle, I am certain they will be glad to help should my condition worsen." Henri and Anastasia exchanged a knowing look, and then sighed. " Very well, O Mighty One." Henri teased. " Let us move on then." Cinderella then proceeded to rip up the hem of her dress and tie the scrap around her arm and neck.

TWO HOURS LATER

The trio stared in horror at the sight before them. A once glorious castle was now nothing more than dark, cold, and dusty ruins. Opening the wrought iron gates, they made their way through the courtyard, jumping at every sound. At last, they came upon what seemed to be the front doors, and Cinderella slowly creaked them open. " Alright." She whispered. " I say we separate and search for any sign of life. We'll cover more ground that way." The other two nodded. " Ella, why don't you start down here, while Henri and I search upstairs?" Anastasia suggested.

As Cinderella went from room to room, Anastasia and Henri climbed the creaky, never-ending staircase until they reached the next floor, thus splitting up once more. Henri quietly approached what appeared to be the east wing, or what was left of it. Meanwhile, Anastasia entered the west wing, gasping at the sight that greeted her. Everything left in the room had been ripped or smashed to pieces, except for one thing.

On a small nightstand stood a beautiful, glowing red rose, firmly encased in a protective glass display. Entranced, she stretched her hand out towards it. But before anything happened, a furious growl sounded behind her. Whipping around in fear, Anastasia searched the room. At first, nothing seemed to be amiss, but then she looked again.

There, standing before her, was a large, vicious- looking beast. It was then that she let out a bloodcurdling scream. In response, the beast tossed her over his shoulder and stormed through the palace, accidently running into Henri in the process. For a moment, Henri stood paralyzed with fear, but he shook it off and faced the beast head on. " Let my sister go, you monster! We mean you no harm; we were simply passing through. The wolves residing nearby forced us to take shelter here. Leave us be, and we will go now."

" You are not going anywhere!" The beast threatened. "No matter the reason, I do not take kindly to trespassers; particularly those who go poking about where they do not belong!" With that, he slung Henri over his other shoulder and went down into the depths of the palace, proceeding to lock them up in a dank cell. "Please! My wife is out there somewhere! She is injured, and desperately needs us." Henri pleaded. But his cries were all in vain, for the beast simply stormed off again without a word.

Meanwhile, Cinderella had heard the commotion and followed it as quickly as her strength allowed. " Ana? Henri?" She called. " Where are you? Answer me!" " Your companions must suffer the consequences for trespassing. As must you." The beast's voice boomed. Cinderella gasped. " Who are you? What did you do with them?" Stepping around to face Cinderella, he answered, " I am the master of this castle."

Showing no fear, Cinderella demanded, " You will let them go at once! We truly meant you no harm!" The beast's eyes widened in shock as he took in the sight of the young woman. " It cannot be! Helene? Is it truly you?" " I beg your pardon?" Cinderella exclaimed. Then it dawned on her. " Wait- was Helene indeed the lost infant princess?" " Yes." The beast said sadly. " How do you know of this?" Cinderella smiled. " I know, because I am her. Although, my given name is Cinderella." The beast attempted to smile back. " Yes, of course. I see it now; you look so much like our beloved mother. Though I do not remember her well, at least her face can never be forgotten." " You mean to say that you are-" Cinderella started in surprise. The beast grunted in response. The young woman embraced him tightly. " Oh, my dearest brother, this is truly a miraculous day. I am overjoyed to have found you after all these years. Now come, let us release the others, and then you must explain everything."


	5. Chapter 5

A knock sounded outside the entrance to Prince Adrien's sitting room. " Enter!" The young man boomed. Henri, Anastasia, and Cinderella gasped in unison as a candlestick, clock, and teapot seemed to move about the room all on their own. " Ah." Adrien chuckled. " No need to be alarmed. These are my most trusted servants; Lumiere, Cogsworth, and Madame Beatrice Potts. Well, truth be told, they are more like family to me. Cinderella, the madame is the one whom it appears saved you from the fate that Father intended."

Bowing her head at the teapot, Cinderella murmured, " Thank you, Madame. I am eternally indebted to you." " Nonsense, my dear." Madame Potts answered tenderly. " My only reward is to see you alive and well. I am overjoyed that you have at last returned to your rightful place. If I dare say so, you are as beautiful and kind as your dear mother. Cinderella thanked her once more.

" Now, dear sister," Adrien continued. " I have told you my tale, now you must tell me yours. How did you fare in your adopted home?" Cinderella and Anastasia exchanged a sad look. " The first few years of my life were indeed golden. I loved my parents very much, and they returned that love. Then my mother took ill and passed on, God rest her soul." Placing a comforting paw on her shoulder, Adrien whispered, " I am sorry."

Grateful for his sympathy, his sister gave him a small, sad smile. " When I was but ten, my father decided to move on and find a wife, and a new mother figure for me as well. That is how Anastasia, her elder sister Drisella, and their mother Lady Clarisse came to live with us. For a while we were happy, but then my father became ill and left us. Lady Clarisse… she…" Pained by the memory, Cinderella stopped, prompting Henri to embrace her comfortingly.

Anastasia then decided to continue the tale. " My mother found out the truth about Cinderella, and she grew to be jealous and hateful towards her. Over the years, Ella was forced to abandon every luxury she had known, and become a servant. My mother and sister treated her dreadfully; certainly worse than anyone I knew had ever been treated. I am ashamed to say that I never tried to prevent it. I was too weak and frightened. Truth be told, they treated me much the same. All Cinderella and I ever wanted was their love and approval, but that never happened and never will."


	6. Chapter 6

For many weeks after the joyful reunion of brother and sister, Cinderella traveled about, not resting until she found something or someone to help break the curse on King Adrien and his household. Anastasia had elected to stay behind in the castle, while Henri had reluctantly returned to their own kingdom to resume his duties. So, while Adrien wallowed in misery, not believing that anything could come of it, Ella searched the length and breadth of France for eligible women. Unfortunately, the minute every one of them heard of the king's predicament, they turned the princess away.

Cinderella began her journey back to the castle utterly discouraged, dreading having to admit to her brother that he had been right. But what she found when she arrived took her completely by surprise, and indeed filled her with hope once more. A strange young woman seemed to have made herself at home in the castle. Curious, the princess approached her, demanding an explanation. The girl, who looked to be younger than Cinderella, curtsied awkwardly to her. " Your Highness, it is an honor to meet you. Lady Anastasia has told me all about you. She and His Majesty King Adrien were kind enough to take my father and I in."

Cinderella smiled politely. " That is all very well, but would you please mind telling me who you are and what is going on?" The girl blushed with embarrassment. " Forgive me, Your Highness. I am called Belle Marchand. My father is Maurice, and he is a humble merchant. We live not far from here, in the village of Villeneuve. You see, a week ago my father was on his way to trade some items with a friend, and apparently became lost. That was when he encountered a pack of wolves and was forced to take shelter in this castle. Everyone here was very hospitable and allowed him to rest from his ordeal. He became ill, you see, and is upstairs now still recovering. When he didn't return, I became worried and took it upon myself to search for him. Of course, my search led me here, and I've been caring for my father since. I understand we are imposing, so as soon as my father is able, we shall take our leave. I promise."

Cinderella shook her head. " There is no need for that, my dear. You may stay as long as you wish. Oh, and you must call me Cinderella. I am certain we shall be great friends." Belle smiled gratefully. " Thank you, Cinderella. I have no doubt of that." Cinderella chuckled softly, then grew serious. " I hope you were not put off by my brother." Belle's eyes widened. " Oh no! He has been ever so generous and kind. If you are referring to his current state and that of his friends, I confess it did frighten me a little at first. It certainly frightened my father. But I have gotten quite used to it. They are positively wonderful people- or rather, creatures- or-" Cinderella giggled. "I think you may call them people. That is what they were, and will be again soon enough. But for now, they are still people at heart." Belle simply nodded, looking sheepish.

The two women then talked well into the early hours of morning, joined at one point or another by Adrien, Anastasia, or the servants. The more they did so, the more Cinderella began to think that Belle was exactly the one her brother had been waiting for. Now came the somewhat difficult task of getting them to fall in love. After all, love could not be forced, and so there was only so much Cinderella could do. It was really all up to Adrien and Belle. However, unbeknownst to the princess, Belle was simply an unfortunate and unnessary pawn in the plan to lift the curse.

In fact, there already was someone who was falling desperately for the young king; and her name was Anastasia Tremaine. The poor woman had never had much love in her life, and suspected that whatever feelings she may have would never be reciprocated, especially with someone like Belle around. So, Anastasia decided to suppress her feelings and never act on them. By her reckoning, it would only bring pain and heartbreak not only to herself, but to everyone in the castle.


	7. Chapter 7

By the next week, Belle's father Maurice had fully recovered and set off for home. He of course had been reluctant, particularly because Belle had decided to stay a while longer. But his duties as a merchant won out, and he had to get back. His daughter had been sad to see him go, but that feeling was soon put aside with the help of her new friends, who from then on took it upon themselves to cheer her up and inspire her with thoughts of romance.

Indeed, Belle already felt at home in the castle, surprisingly more so than her own cottage in Villeneuve. She and Adrien also seemed to be quite taken with each other, much to everyone's delight. Hope and love continued to drive them, and as a grand gesture of such, a ball had been organized. Belle, of course, had been invited to attend as Adrien's partner. Meanwhile, Prince Henri had come back just in time for the ball, and was quite looking forward to catching up with his wife and friends.

While everyone was preparing for the event that evening, however, Anastasia stayed holed up in her room, debating whether to attend. On one hand, the last thing she wanted to do was cast a shadow over the happy occasion and make everyone else about as miserable as she was. On the other hand, she didn't want to feel sorry for herself and was determined to have as good a time as possible. The latter won out, and she got up to don the beautiful golden gown given to her by Madame de Garderobe, the castle's resident designer and opera singer.

Soon, she was ready, and proceeded to make her way down the vast hallway and winding staircase to the ballroom. Beautiful music could faintly be heard beneath the clamor of people talking and laughing.

As Anastasia made her entrance, Cinderella quietly excused herself from the company of Cogsworth and Lumiere, coming to stand by her sister. " Oh, Ana, you look positively beautiful! Gold suits you." She blushed at such praise. " Thank you, sister." But then she sighed. " I'm sorry. I feel a bit silly dressing up for a ball where there are really only five guests. Since I do not have a partner to dance with, I am content with the role of spectator. The four of you should simply enjoy yourselves and not mind me." Cinderella frowned. " Ana, what are you saying? Of course you must join in! In fact, both Henri and Adrien have promised two dances each with you. Oh, please don't be a spoilsport! Say you'll do it." Anastasia hesitated. The very thought of dancing with the one person she was trying desperately to avoid filled her with anguish.

With tears threatening to pour down her face, Anastasia shook her head. " I am sorry, Ella. I cannot do this after all." With that, she picked up her skirts and ran upstairs to her bedroom, not caring that her sister was frantically calling out for her, or that everyone else in the ballroom had fallen silent at the dramatic scene she had just made.

Finally entering her room, Anastasia flung herself down onto the bed, sobbing into her pillows. She hated herself for letting her emotions get the better of her, and could not bear to ever face her family or friends again. It was all too much for her, and the more she cried, the more she simply wanted to run away to a place where no one could find her; where she could forget her pain and start anew. As she got up to do just that, wiping away her tears in the process, the bedroom doors slowly opened.

Cinderella and Belle tentatively entered the room, looking extremely concerned. At the sight of them, Anastasia snapped, " Get out! Leave me be!" However, the two of them chose to ignore that and stepped closer to the poor woman. " No, Ana." Cinderella said gently. " How could I sit by and do nothing when my sister is clearly in pain? I am so sorry. As your sister, I should have noticed it from the beginning. So will you please tell me what is wrong?" Anastasia fixed her gaze on Belle. " I'll tell you what is wrong. Her." The latter exchanged a perplexed glance with Cinderella. " Me? Whatever do you mean? What did I do?" Anastasia's face fell. " No, I am sorry. Of course you did nothing wrong. How could you? I suppose that is why Adrien is clearly falling for you. I do not wish to be selfish or cruel, and so I will not stand in your way if you want to be with him. In fact, I wish you every happiness. Truly." " Do you mean to say…you have feelings of your own for Adrien?" Cinderella said in complete surprise. Her sister frantically shook her head. " No! Yes… oh, I don't know! I'm so confused."

The two young women rushed to Anastasia's side, enveloping her in a tight group embrace. " Anastasia, I am so sorry." Belle cries. " You have been nothing but kind to me since I arrived, and I repaid that kindness poorly. Like Cinderella, I failed to notice how you were truly feeling, but no more. I swear to you now that I while I greatly adore and respect the king, I am by no means in love with him. I am simply not the sort of person to be tied down, at least not for a while yet. However, I am afraid that you were right before; he does harbor some feelings for me. So, I think the best thing for everyone is for me to take my leave. I do not wish for you or King Adrien to go through any more pain on my part."

" No!" Anastasia protested. " Belle, you are my friend, and I will not lose a friend over this. Please stay. At least, stay for as long as you wish. I know you have to get home to your father soon."


End file.
